We have seen a bunch of attempts at turning smartphones into capable workstations – Microsoft’s Windows uses Continuum, HP’s Elite X3 takes that one step ahead with a range of additional products and docks, even Canonical’s mobile OS comes with a native feature, but none of them have been to quite achieve the desired level of functionality and justification. That’s essentially because of the fact that no one wants to buy a Windows mobile anymore or Ubuntu, as a result, we present you the Superbook.

The Superbook is a Kickstarter campaign operated by the team behind Andromium OS, it’s basically a $99 11.6-inch sleek laptop shell (looks like a MacBook Pro) that connects to your Android phone and lets you use it as a standalone desktop system. The process has no strings attached and is astonishingly straightforward – you download the Andromium app on a device running Android Lollipop or greater, and connect it to the Superbook through a standard micro-USB or USB Type-C cable. That’s it, you don’t need a proprietary dock or spend a fortune on any extra hardware whatsoever.

In terms of specifications, there’s an 11.6-inch display with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels, over 8 hours of promised battery life, it comes with a multi-touch trackpad, full keyboard with dedicated multitasking, home buttons. Thanks to the Andromium launcher, the Superbook also supports multi-tasking like a regular computer out there. The performance, although, depends solely on your smartphone which can be a shortcoming if it’s not powerful enough. Andromium can run every Android app there is including Microsoft’s Office, Gmail, and others.

The Superbook is definitely an attractive package if someone doesn’t want to carry a separate gadget for basic work activities. At a price of $99, this isn’t an expensive accessory at all and can comfortably fit into your daily life. If you’re looking for a laptop replacement, though, you’re better off with a Chromebook as app compatibility and performance are a major question mark for the Superbook right now. If you’re interested, it will be available on Kickstarter starting from July 21st.

Shubham is based out of Ahmedabad, India and is studying to be a Computer Engineer, while specializing in mobile applications. He loves covering what's new in the smartphone space and aims to make it his primary profession some day.